


My Android Lover

by Takara_Phoenix



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Android Jace, Android Jonathan, Detective Lydia, Hurt/Comfort, Jace Angst, Jace Feels, Jonathan and Jace are Brothers, Luke adopts EVERYONE, M/M, Oblivious Alec, Pining Jace, Self-Esteem Issues, detective alec, he just can't help it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 07:23:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14732495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takara_Phoenix/pseuds/Takara_Phoenix
Summary: Androids with AIs have human rights but are not yet fully recognized as human by many and it leads to a large black market.Detective Alec Lightwood is part of a special task-force to take down the greatest criminal dealing with androids – Valentine Morgenstern.Among the saved androids is a J.C. model and he grows very attached to his knight in shining armor. Alec doesn't quite know what to do with his feelings for the blonde android...





	My Android Lover

Jalec || Shadowhunters || Jalec || My Android Lover || Jalec || Shadowhunters || Jalec

Title: My Android Lover – The Confusing Love-Life of Detective Alec Lightwood

Fandom: Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments

Disclaimer: All rights to the Shadowhunters show reserved to Ed Decter, the books the show is based off and its characters belong to Cassandra Clare. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: m/m, androids, human/android relationship, hurt/comfort, fluff, pining, f/f, m/f

Main Pairing: Alec/Jace

Side Pairings: Lydia/Isabelle, Simon/Clary, Luke/Catarina

Shadowhunters Characters: Jonathan Christopher 'Jace' Wayland, Alexander Gideon 'Alec' Lightwood, Isabelle Sophia 'Izzy' Lightwood, Lydia Branwell, Bartholomew 'Bat' Velasquez, Alaric Rodriguez, Luke Garroway, Catarina Loss, Madzie, Jonathan 'Sebastian' Morgenstern, Clarissa Adele 'Clary' Fray, Simon Lewis, Victor Aldertree

Summary: Androids with AIs have human rights but are not yet fully recognized as human by many and it leads to a large black market. Detective Alec Lightwood is part of a special task-force to take down the greatest criminal dealing with androids – Valentine Morgenstern. Among the saved androids is a J.C. model and he grows very attached to his knight in shining armor. Alec doesn't quite know what to do with his feelings for the blonde android...

**My Android Lover**

_The Confusing Love-Life of Detective Alec Lightwood_

"Today's the day, team. Today, we're gonna take down Morgenstern."

Everyone in the meeting room cheered. The special task-force had been working to catch Valentine Morgenstern for months. Detective Garroway however had been after Morgenstern for _years_ now. Only ten months ago had he gotten it through with Captain Aldertree to get a special task-force.

Morgenstern _hated_ androids. And even though android right movements had finally gotten them human rights – based on the fact that they had artificial intelligence and even pain and pleasure receptors, they were human by every definition aside from being born. To Morgenstern, they were machines, less even – weapons. He had been working on deprogramming them, removing the humanity to use them as weapons. He was selling them to gangs and criminals to further his own goals, to gain more money to gather his own army. He wanted to erase _all_ of the androids, claiming they didn't deserve human rights, that they were wrong. For that, he was gathering his army.

Alec's been part of this task-force since day one. He very much believed that androids were just as human as any _born_ human. To see them abused and misused as _weapons_... it was disgusting.

"You ready for this?", asked Alec's partner, elbowing him.

"Guess I am, Lyds", nodded Alec and took a deep breath.

Lydia Branwell has been Alec's partner from the day they had graduated the academy together. She was one of the few people Alec trusted fully. She always had his back and she literally was family. Had become that three months ago when getting married to Alec's younger sister Isabelle.

"You kids alright?", asked Luke as they excited the precinct together.

He rested a heavy hand each on Alec and Lydia's shoulders. The two younger cops turned toward their mentor. Luke was jokingly called the squad dad around their precinct, because he always looked out for the younger ones. Alec really came to appreciate it. He had gotten into law-enforcement after it turned out that his parents had been involved with a terrorist group. Alec and Isabelle had been alone since their late teens when their parents had been arrested. Turned out Luke liked taking in strays, because when he heard their story, he invited Alec and Isabelle – who had become the medical examiner at their precinct – over to family dinner. Which, by now, was a regular thing for the siblings. Luke and his wife Catarina were like the parents they deserved.

"We'll be fine. It's not our first mission", grunted Alec.

"This is different from your usual raid", pointed Luke out.

/break\

Luke was right, this was different from their usual raids. Knowing who they were taking down and actually _seeing_ the warehouse filled with the kidnapped androids, crammed in like they were mere objects... Alec felt a little sick. Morgenstern and his men were easy enough taken down, now the real problem was identifying all the androids, checking them up and getting them papers.

The warehouse was filled with J.C. models. Considering the installed AIs allowing them all individual personalities, androids had stopped being mass-produced. Every single one was unique. No two androids were the same. But every product-line followed a certain design scheme. The J.C. model was a line of Caucasian, blue-eyed, blonde males.

"Lightwood! Need backup!", barked Luke's partner Alaric out.

There was a rogue android. Malfunctioning. Or rather, he had been reprogrammed by Valentine, who was set on turning them all into murder machines. This one, his eyes were pitch-black as he attacked the cops. Alaric was ready to take him down when he got jumped by another.

"Don't deactivate him. He's not malfunctioning. Father reprogrammed him!", said the second one.

Alec put his gun slowly down as he approached the second J.C. He looked desperate, worried. Not corrupted. Smiling carefully, Alec lifted both his hands to show he wasn't a threat.

"Hey. No one is going to deactivate your friend-", promised Alec.

"Brother", corrected the android.

"Brother", amended Alec gently. "It's alright. But he's... The reprogramming needs to be changed. Detective Rodriguez is not going to harm him. We're going to take care of him. And of you."

"...You are?", asked the android skeptically.

"We are", confirmed Luke as he and Alaric were restraining the black-eyed android. "We're not going to harm him. We got a doctor who'll take care of your friend."

Alec pushed between the android and the display, seeing the concern and confusion in the android's eyes. He had _beautiful_ eyes. The left one must have cracked somehow, because it wasn't fully blue, one corner of it was displaying a soft brown. The mismatched eyes were oddly hypnotizing.

"Hey", whispered Alec gently, grasping the android by the shoulders. "Hey, it'll all be alright now. We're here to get you all out. What's your name?"

"J.C. 910118", replied the android.

Right. It figured that the crazy terrorist who thought androids were weapons and scrape-metal wouldn't give them _names_. Alec knitted his eyebrows in concern, rubbing soothing circles on the android's upper arms as those mismatched eyes stared at him so desperate for reassurance.

"J.C... J.C... Jace...?", tried Alec on his tongue. "Jace. How about that?"

"Jace?", echoed the android unsure. "As... As a... name?"

"Yeah", nodded Alec with a reassuring smile. "Jace. That okay?"

"Jace", repeated the blonde once more. "Yes. I... Like it? Thank you, Detective Lightwood."

"Alec", offered Alec, the smile growing more sincere. "Now come, we'll get you checked out and you can give your statement and then you can check on your friend."

"900404 is older than me. He has been taking care of me", stated Jace with a frown.

"He'll be alright", assured Alec gently.

/break\

"Congratulations on closing your big case!"

Luke laughed softly as his wife wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a kiss. Catarina put an impromptu party together to celebrate. That woman was a godsend, really. He had met Catarina a few years ago on the job. She was a nurse at the local hospital and had been taking care of the victim in one of Luke's cases. He had been a recent widower back then, his first wife Jocelyn having gotten dragged into the middle of a case and the guy Luke had been chasing had gone after his wife. It had left him and Jocelyn's daughter Clary heartbroken. For a long time, it was just them, trying to cope. And at first, after meeting Catarina, Luke had felt guilty, but it had been Clary who gave him the final push – because he deserved to be happy, even though Jocelyn was dead.

"Thanks, babe", chuckled Luke, kissing her temple.

"Been going on long enough", sighed Alaric as he put a six-pack of cold beers down.

"Word", grunted Alec as he reached out for one of the beers.

"Honestly, I can't believe it's over", sighed Isabelle relieved.

"You weren't even on the case. You're the ME", pointed Alaric out, one eyebrow raised.

"Well, _my wife_ was", countered Isabelle, one arm wrapped around Lydia. "And it's been keeping her real busy. _Finally_ I will have my wife _all to myself_ again."

She also wrapped her other arm around Lydia and nosed the detective's neck. Alec snorted amused.

"Iz, you do know we have _shared custody_ over your wife, right?", teased Alec.

Isabelle stuck her tongue out at her brother and threw her legs over Lydia's legs. " _Mine_."

"Oh, Lightwoods, you're glad I love you both", laughed Lydia amused and shook her head.

"Don't we all?", smiled Catarina fondly.

The nurse had helped Isabelle _a lot_. She had pulled some strings to help Isabelle get her job. By now, the Lightwoods really were honorary Garroways. Luke smiled and ruffled Isabelle's hair.

"What... happened to the... the android who attacked you?", asked Alec slowly.

"You were _attacked_? You forgot to mention that, Lucian", complained Catarina with a glare.

" _Minor_ attack", huffed Luke fondly. "It was alright. Some of the androids had already been reprogrammed by Morgenstern. One of them went after me and Alaric."

"He's being taken care of by Bat and the tech department", assured Alaric. "Like the rest."

Alec hummed and nodded, frown on his face. Lydia narrowed her eyes at her partner.

"This is about the one you named", accused Lydia lowly.

"...Named?", asked Clary interested.

Alec groaned and threw his head back. They were all gathered in the living room of the Garroways. Catarina and Luke were sharing the love-seat, Lydia, Isabelle and Alec were on one couch and on the other couch were Alaric, Clary and Clary's fiance Simon. Over the years, Alec had grown attached to Clary as a _very_ annoying younger sister type – she and Isabelle had instantly hit it off and had been like sisters since then. But Alec one hundred percent did not need Clary, Izzy and Lydia teaming up on him on _anything_. It was his worst nightmare.

"There was one of the other androids who got very upset when we had to take the attacking one down", grunted Alaric, rubbing his sore ribs. "Alec got in between, but..."

"Right. What _did_ happen there?", asked Luke curiously.

"He was just upset", grumbled Alec with a blush.

"Yeah, let's get back to that naming thing", prompted Catarina, both eyebrows raised.

"He... didn't have a name and I was trying to calm him down, so I... I gave him a name. I mean, it's not much of a _name_ ", grunted Alec with a glare. "I named him Jace. He's going to end up picking his own name once they get through with processing him."

"You did good, boy", assured Luke. "You managed to calm him down and deescalated it."

"I'm sure they'll all be fine", agreed Lydia amused.

"Well, you can always just drop by at Bat's to see for yourself", suggested Simon. "You know he loves getting visitors in his Bat Cave."

"I told you a million times that you shouldn't come to the precinct to bother Bat at work, Simon", grunted Luke with a pointed glare, one eyebrow raised.

"And not to call the lab the Bat Cave", snorted Alaric and rolled his eyes.

"Sorry to disappoint, but the name Bat Cave already caught on", declared Simon proudly.

"...I swear, Clary could do so much better", muttered Alec beneath his breath.

"I know it was an insult aimed at my fiance, but I'm just going to take it as a compliment for me", stated Clary with a broad grin. "So, thank you, Alec."

"This family is horrible", grumbled Alec, hiding his face.

"I like our family", chimed the youngest member.

The adults all turned around to the stairs where Madzie stood, clutching her blanket. Luke and Catarina had adopted her half a year ago. Cooing softly, Clary got up from the couch.

"Hey, little sis, didn't we tuck you in an hour ago?", asked Clary amused.

"Uhu", nodded Madzie. "Can I have another story?"

"Of course-", started Clary, just to be interrupted by Madzie shaking her head.

"Nu-uh. I want Si! Si tells better stories!", demanded Madzie with a pout.

"Hah! My skills are asked for!", exclaimed Simon and jumped off the couch.

Alec smiled faintly even though he still rolled his eyes. Madzie was right. He did like their weird adopted family too. They were amazing and showing him and Isabelle how caring a family could be. Alec's eyes softened as he looked at Lydia and Isabelle, Luke and Catarina, as well as the way Clary was watching Simon fondly. He locked eyes with Alaric across the room, who just gave him an amused look and an eye-roll. Yeah, being singles among happy couples could be really exhausting at times. It was nice to have Alaric to go to the bar with and kick back a beer with him, free of the cutesy and kissy-face patrol (no, Alec was not bitter and secretly longing for love too).

/break\

When Alec went to the lab the next day, it was by sheer coincident and certainly not to check if Jace was there and if he was alright. Bat blinked and looked up surprised as Alec entered.

"Hey, you rarely drop by at the Bat Cave", observed Bat.

"...Do they truly call it that?"

Alec turned at the voice and spotted Jace sitting in a corner of the room, hands folded on his lap. The android looked curious, but also an edge nervous. In the bed next to Jace laid the one with the black eyes who had attacked Luke and Alaric.

"No one calls it that", grunted Alec and approached Jace. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Thank you, Detective Lightwood", nodded Jace.

"Alec", corrected Alec with a small smile.

"...Alec", amended Jace.

"And how's your... brother?", asked Alec, looking at the other.

"900404 is still... offline", mumbled Jace with a frown.

"Yeah. It's gonna take a while. Morgenstern really came up with a complex programming there", grunted Bat annoyed. "And this one, he refuses to leave until his brother's discharged."

Jace nodded with fierce determination. "I... I don't have anywhere to go anyway. And I do not have anyone. I only have him. I will not leave his side."

"You can't live in the lab though", disagreed Bat amused. "I already told you that."

"I mean, he doesn't look _that_ good", drawled Alec, frowning curiously down at Jace. "I think he needs a thorough check-up and should stay in the lab for at least another couple days."

Jace looked confused until Alec winked with a smirk, then Jace caught on. "Yes. My systems definitely need a thorough check-up. I will be required to stay in."

Bat snorted at that and shook his head. "Sure. But if the captain learns the truth..."

"Let Aldertree be my problem", shrugged Alec sharply.

"I'll keep that in mind", snickered Bat.

/break\

"I want to meet those boys that moved into the Bat Cave", declared Clary curiously.

Since Simon and Bat were best friends, she had already heard a lot about Jace and the other one who didn't have a name yet but had at least woken up again by now. Luke shook his head in amusement but in the end he agreed and led the way to the Bat Cave. Inside was Bat, talking animatedly to the two androids that have been residing there for the past two weeks.

"Who are those?", asked one of the androids wearily.

"Friends", assured Bat with a smile. "Luke's daughter Clary and Clary's fiance Simon."

"Bat's been talking so much about you guys, we got curious", admitted Simon.

"Uhm, so, dad says you don't really... have names...", drawled Clary a little awkwardly.

"I have one", said the other android. "My name is Jace. Alec gave it to me."

"And you decided to keep it?", asked Luke surprised.

"Yes. It is... _mine_ now", nodded Jace with a small smile. "I've never had something of my own before. And Alec gave me this name, so it is mine now."

"Well, I still go by J.C. 900404", drawled the other blonde.

"So, how's the programming coming along?", asked Luke, turning toward Bat.

"Better. I mean. Look, pretty blue eyes. No black anymore", offered Bat with a grin. "I'm just running a last system check and if it comes back with good results, they're free to go."

"Great. And where to?", drawled 900404 dryly.

"The state will help you", assured Luke, resting a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I can come back later with papers and help you sort through it. You'll be compensated for what you've been through and you will get a small apartment assigned for now. I'll help you through this."

"Thank you", nodded Jace, eyebrows raised.

/break\

"Hello."

Alec blinked and looked up from his paperwork to see Jace stand in front of his desk. Lydia smirked at Alec knowingly. Jace had been dropping by at Alec's desk _more than_ regularly in the past two weeks and perhaps Alec had blushed when Jace had proudly claimed that he was going to keep the name that Alec had given him. Alec smiled up at Jace.

"Hey", nodded Alec. "What's going on, Jace? Bored with Bat and your brother?"

"Well, yes", confirmed Jace with a frown. "But, Detective Garroway has been coming to talk to us for the past couple of days. And today, he gave 900404 a name."

"Oh? Really?", asked Alec surprised. "What's your brother's new name?"

"Jonathan", replied Jace with a frown. "Detective Garroway said that 900404 reminds him of what a Jonathan could have been that he once knew...?"

Alec swallowed thickly. He knew of Clary's brother, who had died as a baby. Jonathan. Blonde and blue-eyed and if he had gotten to live, he would have had a personality to match Clary. 900404 certainly did have that. And it really shouldn't surprise Alec that Luke got attached to two more strays. He had a tendency for that. A couple years ago, he had taken an orphaned girl named Maia in, but ever since she graduated high school, she had moved out to go to college. Alec, Izzy, Madzie. Clary, in a way too. His stepdaughter. Alec smiled faintly.

"Jonathan's a good name", nodded Alec.

"But not as good as Jace", argued the android stubbornly.

Alec grinned at that. Jace was really cute. Which was not something Alec should be thinking. Jace just got freed from a life of captivity and he was most likely just so attached to Alec because Alec was the one to save him. He should be keeping his distance from Jace.

/break\

Keeping his distance from Jace was virtually impossible.

Jace was just _everywhere_ Alec went. He had started working at the coffee-shop right across the street from the precinct, where Alec, Lydia and Isabelle usually spent their lunch-breaks. Jace was wearing his hair down now, not slicked back as it had been when they had found him. He looked very... soft like this. And even though Bat had offered Jace to repair his broken eye, Jace decided to keep it that way, because _Alec_ had said it made him look even more special. Which it did. But why did Jace keep listening to Alec? Every time, Alec entered the coffee-shop, Jace would have a smile for him. And every time, Alec's heart would beat just a little faster at that.

"It's been three months, man. How much longer do you want to keep him pining?"

Glaring fiercely, Alec kicked Bat under the table while Isabelle and Lydia opposite them were giggling. Bat had caught on first, considering it was his lab so he had always been present when Alec came to visit and he always got to hear from Jace whenever Jace went to visit Alec.

"He's just... hero-worshiping me", grunted Alec and shook his head. "It's not _real_. He's just projecting. Because I was the first person to be nice to him. To get him out of there. Give him his name. So he's mistaking gratitude for a crush. He'll get over it."

"Sure", grunted Izzy and rolled her eyes at her brother. "Three months of the brightest sunshine-smiles that he _only_ has to offer to you. Even though Alaric and Luke and Lydia were there too. As well as like half a dozen other cops on the task-force."

"I named him", pointed Alec out once more.

"So? Luke named Jonathan and Jonathan really does not look at Luke the way Jace looks at you", snorted Bat with a giant grin. "Come on. There's a beautiful guy who's totally smitten with you. How do you not ask him out on a date?"

Alec grumbled and blushed, lifting his mug up to hide his blush. Lydia smiled knowingly at him over the rim of said mug. She knew him better than possibly anyone else. She knew he was incredibly insecure when it came to those things. He just had a hard time approaching people. Especially people he might or might not be romantically interested in...

/break\

Jonathan was cleaning up the kitchen. Of their apartment. No longer a stand where they had to wait when not being _used_. They lived like... _people_. Him and 910118. No. Him and _Jace_. Together.

"You are moping again. It's a very annoying emotion to witness", pointed Jonathan out.

He was still trying to get a hang of the whole emotions-thing. They were new. His had been corrupted a long time ago by their father. But he had been overly protective of Jace far longer. They had been their father's favorites to experiment on and seeing the one who shared his pain the most had made Jonathan feel particularly connected to Jace, among all other androids.

"I am not _moping_ ", grumbled Jace where he was sprawled out on their couch.

Jonathan paused and frown. "No, no. Bat has reprogrammed my scanners. I should be able to detect emotions as they are displayed. You are definitely moping."

Jace rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at his brother. "Okay, okay, whatever..."

" _Why_ are you moping?", inquired Jonathan confused. "Please tell me it is not still about Detective Lightwood. The man _clearly_ has absolutely no taste, if he has still not asked you out."

"He hasn't asked me out because he's not _interested_ ", muttered Jace, looking a little more miserable.

"Perhaps _his_ scanner is broken?", offered Jonathan.

"He's human. They don't have scanners", snorted Jace.

"Well, they must somehow read who is attractive and who is not. If he does not perceive you as attractive, then his scanner _must_ be broken. Or whatever it is that humans use to detect such things. I don't know. I'm not a mechanic for humans", grunted Jonathan annoyed. "All I do know is that you should get changed because we're running late for Luke's barbecue."

"Why do we go? We can't digest human food anyway", muttered Jace. "Just let me lay here."

"We're going because Luke is... He gave me my name. He has been looking out for us. He is... more what the definition of a father is than our father ever was", stated Jonathan with a frown. "He invited us and we will go. We like his wife and his daughters."

"...Point taken", grumbled Jace and sat up. "But Alec will be there too."

"Well yes, according to Catarina, he and his sister are two of those 'strays' Luke seems to be taking in", stated Jonathan, both eyebrows raised. "Just... talk to him."

Jace heaved a sigh and went to get changed. There was nothing wrong with Alec. Alec was _absolutely perfect_. His scanners were definitely also working perfectly. It was Jace. Jace was an android. He was a machine. A _thing_. Something to be used, he knew that, father had made sure they all knew their places in life. They were created to serve humans. There was nothing about him that Alec could _love_. Androids were not made to be loved. Not made to love either. Maybe... Maybe Jace was _broken_? It had to be that. Him falling in love with a human wasn't possible. He should maybe go and talk to Bat about this. The mechanic could fix him again, right?

/break\

Jace was incredibly cute as he was playing with Madzie on the ground. Alec loved how gentle and sweet the blonde was. Over the past months of knowing Jace, Alec had spent a lot of time with him. Not just because Jace worked at the coffee-shop. Sometimes, Jace would drop by at the station with sandwiches and coffees when none of them showed up for lunch – making sure that his humans were all fed and taken care of. Which, yes, Jace tended to say it like that. _His humans_. Luke, Alaric, Alec, Lydia, Isabelle, Bat. Also Clary, Simon and Cat, though they needed less pampering and took care of themselves. They also didn't work themselves to death at the precinct.

"How is the apartment? You boys got settled in alright?", asked Catarina concerned.

Jonathan, who sat next to Clary and had been talking to her, looked up. "Good. I think."

"You... think?", asked Simon amused, looking past Clary between them. "What's that mean?"

"Well, there are some tenants who are not... pleased with living with androids", replied Jonathan.

"Okay. Give me their names and apartment numbers", ordered Luke seriously.

"That will not be necessary, Luke", assured Jace, blinking slowly.

"If someone is mistreating you for being androids, then it is necessary", argued Clary.

"It's okay", stated Jace again, frowning. "They're humans. They don't wish to share their living space with androids. It's their right."

Jonathan frowned uncomfortably. "Jace. We have talked about this."

"And it doesn't make _sense_ , Jonathan", pointed Jace out annoyed.

"...What doesn't make sense?", wanted Alec to know, a frown on his face.

" _Nothing_ ", growled Jace before Jonathan could open his mouth.

Alec's frown deepened as he watched them. There was something they weren't saying and Alec was sure to get to the bottom of this. He didn't like how uncomfortable Jace looked. Maybe he really shouldn't meddle so much. He was only going to further Jace's projection if he kept such a close eye on Jace and kept watching out for him. But he also really couldn't _not_. He was already very invested in Jace – he cared, deeply. Might have kind of a crush on Jace. Big crush.

/break\

Bat was a bit surprised when first thing in the morning, he opened his lab-doors with Jace sitting next to the door like a puppy someone had kicked out.

"Good morning", greeted Bat curiously. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you give me a check-up?", asked Jace hopefully.

"Oh. Sure. Did something happen?", asked Bat concerned.

"Yes. I think something is wrong with my systems", confirmed Jace. "Please check."

"Of course", assured Bat with a smile. "Come on in."

Jace followed Bat and sat down on the examination table. He watched Bat hook him up on all the displays to run the right tests and then Jace just leaned back and waited. After a little while, the door opened and the angry man entered. The captain. Jace didn't like him.

"Velasquez. Did you finish the tests for the Belcourt case yet?", barked Captain Aldertree.

"On it, captain", assured Bat.

"You know what'd help? If you would actually do your work instead of your little private side-projects. This one doesn't belong to the department", grunted Aldertree, glaring at Jace. "I've said it dozens of times now, we don't run a shelter here. We run a police department."

Jace shrank. He didn't like Captain Aldertree. He reminded Jace too much of father. Aldertree too thought that androids should be useful – and he seemed to dislike Jace in particular. He always barked at Jace when Jace came to bring the squad free doughnuts and coffee. Which, Jace really didn't understand. He was being _useful_. Serving the humans, as androids should, right?

"Okay, now tell me what _exactly_ I am looking for", inquired Bat amused.

"I don't know. The coding", shrugged Jace with a frown. "I've been annoying Jonathan with my moping. I've grown... sick? Maybe I caught a virus. I keep feeling awful all over the insides."

He vaguely motioned at his stomach. "Well. That's... humans – and thus also androids because you guys were programmed by humans – project emotional pain occasionally. To find a fixed place for it. So. Tell me, when exactly do you feel those pains?"

"When I think about Alec", replied Jace and bit his lip. "Every time he comes into the coffee-shop and smiles at me, my stomach makes odd things. And when he leaves again, I feel awful."

"...So, I'm running a diagnosis for a crush", snorted Bat amused.

"No. That's... wrong", frowned Jace and shook his head.

"No man. That's a crush. Believe me", chuckled Bat fondly.

"But that's impossible", disagreed Jace annoyed. "I'm a machine. A _thing_. Things don't _love_. And humans would _never_ love a thing. So what's the point in these useless feelings?"

"...Jace", whispered Bat softly, eyebrows furrowed.

"Make this go away", ordered Jace upset. "Deinstall it or whatever."

Bat heaved a sigh and leaned back. Why couldn't those two idiots just work things out on their own? Why did Alec have to play martyr who thought Jace's feelings weren't real? And now _Jace_ thought that his own feelings weren't real either...? They truly deserved each other.

/break\

Alec frowned as he was being cornered by Bat, Simon, Clary, Isabelle and Lydia. This was not good. It never was when his friends teamed up on him. Lydia glared, hands on her hips, which was also never a good sign. Isabelle leaned against her wife, head cocked.

"...What's this about?", asked Alec wearily.

"It's about Jace", stated Clary with a judgmental look. "Bat talked to us all and I went and talked to Jonathan and you _so_ have to go and tell Jace how you feel."

"I can't do that", grumbled Alec annoyed. "I have a crush on him because he's cute and sweet and kind. But he doesn't have feelings for me. He's just-"

"Shut up", warned Isabelle, waving a finger. "I _overheard_ what he told Bat and it's enough that _one_ of you two thinks his feelings for you aren't valid."

"...What does that mean?", asked Alec confused.

"Jace has been in for a check-up yesterday because he thinks he has a virus", explained Bat. "That _a thing_ shouldn't be in love with a human. And that a human could never love _a thing_. He wants me to deinstall his feelings for you, because they _hurt_ him and he doesn't think he _deserves_ them."

Alec frowned, looking from one of his friends to the other, searching for someone with an actual explanation. Something that didn't involve horrible things as the just mentioned ones.

"You gotta talk to him, man", ordered Simon seriously.

"We thought he was fine because he didn't have a virus in his systems, but... He's an AI. Self-learning and he learned from Morgenstern", whispered Bat softly. "Believe me, his feelings for you aren't projection. But he could... really use _you_ to talk to about them."

"He needs to hear that he's worth loving", stated Clary firmly, looking upset. "I like Jace and Jonathan. They're part of our family now. So _you_ will do your best to fix this."

"Like father, like daughter", muttered Alec beneath his breath.

"Damn right", huffed Clary and stuck her chin out. "Fix this, Lightwood."

Alec frowned and rubbed his face. Jace... No, that couldn't be true. Over the past months, Jace had integrated into their group of friends, into their _family_. He had a job, he played with the kids – Madzie, Bat and Simon – and he was well-liked at the precinct for all the doughnuts and coffee he brought over all the time. Not to mention the sunny smile and overall radiant beauty of his; when a literal angel came bringing free coffee and food, how could anyone not like him...?

/break\

It was the next day, when Jace came with coffee and doughnuts once again, looking as beautiful as ever, with his golden hair falling into his face. Alec sighed softly as Jace smiled and put down the doughnuts on the table that Alec and Lydia shared.

"Thank you, Jace. You're a wonderful friend", smiled Lydia. "I'll... take two and bring one to Izzy later when I visit her down in her Catwoman Cave."

"...What?", asked Alec with a deadpan.

"Since Bat calls his lab the Bat Cave, Simon and Izzy have been thinking about what to call _her_ lab", grinned Lydia fondly. "And apparently, Catwoman fits her the best."

"That's... horrible. Can I give her up for adoption?", groaned Alec and shook his head.

"I find it... endearing", argued Jace with a small smile.

"It is", assured Lydia fondly. "Oh, you have to come over for game-night this Sunday! Bat bailed on us because he's visiting his long-distance girlfriend Maia at college. So, it'd be just me, Izzy, Simon, Clary and Alec. Alec could _really_ use a partner for game-night."

"...I... What'd be my _purpose_ there?", frowned Jace.

"Having _fun_. With your _friends_ ", offered Lydia gently. "Just fun."

"Branwell, Lightwood", barked the captain out. "You're at work. Stop chit-chatting. And I said it time and time again, this doesn't have any business here! We're a precinct!"

Jace didn't look up at those words, while Alec was slowly seething as he got up. "You did not just say that. You did not just call Jace _this_. _He_ came here with doughnuts and coffee. The colleagues _like_ him. He doesn't hinder anyone from work. If anything, we're saving time because we don't have to go out to get our lunch. And now you'll _apologize_ to _him_."

Alec was standing nose to nose with Aldertree. Well, he _would_ be, if the captain wasn't a head shorter than him. Aldertree was positively glowering as he glared up at Alec, everyone around them having fallen quiet as they watched and whispered. This wasn't the first time Aldertree was disrespectful toward Jace or another android. But it would be the last time. Alec was going to report the captain to HR – and Humanoid Resources would surely have a field day with this.

"My... apologies", gritted Aldertree out before storming off.

"I... I should go", muttered Jace confused.

"No. No. You, come... We need to talk", declared Alec, grabbing Jace by the elbow.

Jace looked even more confused by that, but he allowed the human to pull him along to one of the interrogation rooms. Once inside, Alec shut the door and heaved a sigh. He was definitely going to do this. His friends had been a hundred percent right yesterday. Apparently.

"I'm sorry, Jace", whispered Alec gently, cupping Jace's face to make him look at Alec.

"What for? He... I don't...", drawled Jace, still looking stumped.

"What he said was _wrong_ Jace", declared Alec firmly. "You're a _person_. You're not a _thing_. And it matters when people hurt your feelings, Jace. Because you're valid. Your _feelings_ are valid."

"...Did... Bat talk to you?", asked Jace suspiciously.

"He... did", replied Alec, not letting go of Jace. "And that's good. Jace, you're not a thing. You're the most amazing person I ever met. I... I love you, Jace. You. Your personality, your kindness, your humor. I fell in love with you. But I didn't want to tell you, because I thought that _you_ were just projecting... That your gratitude toward me for saving you... that you misinterpreted it as love. But Bat said that I am really very wrong with that. And... I don't want to make you feel like your feelings aren't valid. They _are_. And if you feel like you'd want to try and date me... I'd love that."

"But I'm not human", pointed Jace out, resting his hands on top of Alec's.

"I know. And I don't care", whispered Alec firmly. "I love you. I know you're an android and I don't care. I just... love you, all of you. Can I... kiss you?"

Jace frowned doubtfully but nodded. When they kissed, Jace stood stiffly in Alec's arms for a long moment, trying to figure out what to do, but after a few seconds, he started to follow Alec's lead and relaxrf into the kiss. It was odd. And it served no purpose whatsoever, but it felt _great_.

"I think I like this kissing", whispered Jace when they parted. "Can we do that again?"

Alec laughed softly, resting his forehead against Jace's. "Yes. Definitely. A lot of kissing. And... And this weekend, we could... go to game-night as a couple, if you'd like?"

"You're... really okay with this?", asked Jace, still a bit confused. "Dating an... android?"

"Yes. And we'll also get you some professional help", confirmed Alec with a frown.

"...Bat said he can't delete the virus", muttered Jace annoyed.

"It's not a virus. It's love", snorted Alec and shook his head. "And I don't mean _physical_ help. I mean emotional. All your existence, you've been treated as a tool and weapon. But you're an AI, Jace. You have _human emotions_. And now you're suffering from very real trauma. Which... went unnoticed by us. But I promise we'll all help you through this. As a... family."

"Family", echoed Jace, longing in his voice as he leaned into Alec's embrace. "...Okay."

Alec smiled and rested his chin on top of Jace's head, hugging his new boyfriend tightly. Alec was going to help Jace and show him that he was very much worth loving.

_~*~ The End ~*~_

**Author's Note:**

> This is another one of the fics based on my game of Fake Fic Titles on tumblr (come visit me at [takaraphoenix](https://takaraphoenix.tumblr.com/)) - it just felt so very Jalec and I really loved the idea of Jonathan and Jace both as androids since they share physical features and the innitials.


End file.
